Triple Digits at the Southern Skies

The Southern Skies 24 hour.  Well after last year’s Bicycling 24hour I couldn’t wait for another one and this time Linda and Bela joined us.  We arrived early Saturday morning and got down to setting up our campsite. This took a bit of time – firstly because we had to find a spot, there were so many people there already and secondly because Bela isn’t a natural camper J. After a fair bit of good natured teasing we got all the tents and gazebos up and then went to get ready to ride.  The route was 8km and you just ride and ride and ride till you don’t feel like riding anymore.  Then you rest a while and then go ride. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. 

We were very fortunate with the weather because last year it just poured with rain almost the whole time.  This year there was a little bit, but not enough to keep us tent bound.  By evening I’d done 5 laps and we were getting our lights set up and Linda, Bela and I rode together as it was Linda’s first night ride.  Just as well we did as her light died on her so we rode very close together.  We finished off that lap and went to sort out her light. I’d had a rather ungraceful OTB earlier in the day and my thigh was starting to hurt so I decided to not go out again that night. Good decision. After Linda and Bela got her light sorted they went out again but half way through it started to pour with rain and they got drenched.  Grems had been out riding for longer (and of course quicker) but he too came in at some stage soaking wet.

Early in the morning I got up and got going and did a few more laps but my first one of the early morning was really special – it was a bit misty still and quiet with almost no-one flying along wanting to overtake me for a change.  Riding the forested single track quietly gave me chance to think and reflect on the meaning of life and how blessed I was with the health and ability and opportunity to be in this place at this time riding my bike.  Especially since the next day I would be going for surgery to remove a melanoma from my head.  Was an extraordinary time.

At some stage I started to add up the laps and the mileage they represented and I was just a bit short of the December mileage (11 laps – 88km) so I had to do one more, but then that meant I was sooo close to triple digits that I’d have to do two more to make 104km and so I managed to get them in before the time was up.  Wow, I have never ridden that far in all my life.  I was really proud of what I’d managed to achieve.  And in all that mileage – not a single mechanical.  Not one puncture. Yay.